Determining the success of a PGA Tour event depends on how you measure success — quality of field, attendance, revenue, etc.?

Tournament director Steve Jent measures the Sanderson Farms Championship by two standards: how much the tournament contributes in local economic impact and how much money goes to the Batson Children’s Hospital.

Those numbers have steadily increased. Last year, a study from Mississippi State University put the total benefit to the greater Jackson metro area at $26 million. Century Club Charities presented the Blair E. Batson Children’s Hospital with a check for $1.25 million.

“As long as those numbers are good,” Jent said, “we feel like we’ve been successful.”

Keeping the tournament successful is a constant struggle to get the most prominent golfers to play in the event, and an even bigger struggle to get football-crazed fans to the course rather than the stadium or in front of their flat-screen.

These are challenges that all fall PGA Tour events face, but it’s particularly tough for Sanderson because of location, demographics and timing.

Steve Jent, executive director of the Sanderson Farms Championship, Mississippi's only regular PGA Tour event, talks about improvements to the event during media day in Jackson(Photo: AP)

Around 100,000 people annually attend the St. Jude’s Children’s Classic in Memphis. It’s roughly 70,000 more than the Sanderson Farms Championship, and the atmosphere with that many people is a stark contrast.

It’s easy to see why.

The St. Jude’s Classic is the first week in June, a week before the second major of the season, the U.S. Open. The purse is $6.6 million, compared to Sanderson’s $4.4 million.

Daniel Berger, the world’s 26th-ranked golfer, has won the last two tournaments in Memphis. Charl Schwartzel, world no. 28, was the runner-up last year. The year before, Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka and Steve Stricker tied for second.

“There’s a lot of things that can dictate success for a golf tournament,” St. Jude’s Classic director Darrell Smith said. “Schedule on the tour is something that everyone is always thinking of. You want to be in the best position to get the best players in the world… We feel our course is a great test to prepare for a major. When you look at the success, the best thing we have going for us is our date.”

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Julian Etulain celebrates after holing his fairway shot on number 9 for an eagle on Friday, October 27, 2016, the second day of tournament play in the Sanderson Farms Championship at the Country Club of Jackson in Jackson, Miss.(Photo: CHRIS TODD/For the Clarion-Ledger)

While the SFC doesn’t have that luxury, the October date is actually becoming more appealing for players.

Last year’s champion, Cody Gribble, got into the tournament through the Web.com Tour. He decided to use the stage the early-season tournament provides to score some points in the FedEx Cup.

“You never know in this line of work what you’re going to be able to get into and what you’re going to be able to play,” Gribble said. “It’s hard to get your Tour card, but it’s even more difficult keeping it. To have a great fall and know you’ve taken care of your work is one of the most satisfying feelings you can have as a golfer.”

Gribble was the tournament’s third first-time PGA Tour-winner in a row, and he went on to earn $1.3 million last season. He still raves about Jackson and the hospitality he experienced here.

Getting younger, better players to participate is only half the battle.

Now that the tournament is on solid financial footing — Sanderson Farms renewed its commitment as title sponsor for another 10 years — the task now is to grow it into an event like the St. Jude’s Classic.

“It’s a challenging proposition,” Smith said. “They’ve done a remarkable job, and I think the move to Country Club of Jackson has been well received. Steve and those guys have done a phenomenal job of reimagining that golf tournament.

“I think their success will continue to happen.”

Contact Tyler Cleveland at 601-961-7371 or tcleveland@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter.